Chrysanthemum plant--Yellow Daymark cultivar

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named Yellow Daymark is provided. The new cultivar was the result of a mutation induced by controlled irradiation with x-rays and can be readily distinguished from the parent Daymark cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,240). More specifically, the new cultivar exhibits attractive bright yellow ray and disc florets which can be readily distinguished from the white blossom coloration of the parent cultivar. A larger number of petals are present than on the parent cultivar. Also, the new cultivar has been found to exhibit a more compact growth habit with less vegetative growth and to exhibit a lesser plant height than the parent cultivar under the same growing conditions. The new cultivar is particularly suited for use in the production of a cut anemone spray.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Dendranthema morifolium Ramat., and hereinafter is referred to by the cultivar name Yellow Daymark.

The new cultivar is a mutation which was induced in a plant of the Daymark cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,240) by irradiation with x-rays at a level of 1750 rads. The discovery of the new cultivar was made at De Lier, The Netherlands, during October, 1985. This discovery resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new cultivar.

It has been found that the new cultivar of the present invention:

(a) exhibits attractive bright yellow ray and disc florets which can be distinguished from the white blossom coloration of the Daymark cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,240),

(b) exhibits a more compact growth habit with less vegetative growth and assumes a lesser plant height than the Daymark cultivar under the same growing conditions, and

(c) forms blossoms having a larger number petals than the Daymark cultivar.

This combination of characteristics is capable of well distinguishing the new Yellow Daymark cultivar from the Daymark cultivar and from all other known Chrysanthemum cultivars. The new cultivar is particularly suited for use in the production of a cut anemone spray.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings, as performed at De Lier, The Netherlands, has demonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar as herein disclosed are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual propagation.

Yellow Daymark has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light, day length, contact with pesticides and/or subjection to growth retardant treatments.

In my companion application Ser. No. 07/577,750, filed concurrently herewith, entitled "Chrysanthemum Plant -- Cream Daymark Cultivar" is claimed a related cultivar in which the ray and disc florets exhibit a distinctive light yellow or cream coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in a color illustration of this character, a typical specimen of an overall plant of the new cultivar. The plant was grown in a greenhouse at De Lier, The Netherlands.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described hereafter is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England. The color values were determined at 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon under natural daylight conditions at De Lier, The Netherlands.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema morifolium Ramat., cv. Yellow Daymark.

Commercial.--Cut anemone spray.

Inflorescence

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Anemone.

Diameter across face.--Approximately 70 mm. on average.

Diameter across disc.--Approximately 26 mm. on average.

B. Corolla of ray and disc florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of one meter).--Bright yellow.

Color ray (top surface).--Approximates Yellow Group 3B.

Color ray (under surface).--Approximates Yellow Group 6C.

Color (disc).--Yellow-Green Group 154C changing to Yellow Group 6C.

Number of ray florets.--Approximately 34 on average.

Number of disc florets.--Approximately 140 to 150 on average.

C. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present in disc florets; numerous.

Gynoecium.--Present in both disc and ray florets; numerous.

Plant

A. General appearance:

Height.--Approximately 80 to 85 cm. on average.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--Yellow-Green Group 147A.

Leaf size.--Approximately 120×80 mm. on average.

Branching laterals.--Approximately 16 on average.

C. Response time: The response time is approximately 8 weeks.

The plants of the new Yellow Daymark cultivar can be distinguished from the parent Daymark cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,240) as well as its sister Cream Daymark cultivar (Ser. No. 577,750, filed Sep. 5, 1990), both with respect to blossom coloration and other characteristics. The following data was obtained during Nov. 1991 by a comparison of plants of the Daymark, Yellow Daymark and Cream Daymark cultivars growing in a nursery at De Lier, The Netherlands.

    ______________________________________                                                          YELLOW      CREAM                                                    DAYMARK   DAYMARK     DAYMARK                                                  Cultivar  Cultivar    Cultivar                                          ______________________________________                                         Ray Floret                                                                              White Group Yellow Group                                                                               Yellow Group                                  Coloration                                                                              155D        3B          5D                                            Disk Floret                                                                             Yellow-Green                                                                               Yellow-Green                                                                               Yellow-Green                                  Coloration                                                                              Group 145D  Group 154C  Group 145A                                             changing to changing to changing to                                            White Group Yellow Group                                                                               Yellow Group                                           155A        6C          4C                                            Plant Height                                                                            85-90 cm.   80-85 cm.   80 cm.                                        at Harvest                                                                     Stage                                                                          Number of                                                                               25          34          30                                            Ray Florets                                                                    (on average)                                                                   Number of                                                                               110-120     140-150     130-140                                       Disc Florets                                                                   (on average)                                                                   Flower   75 mm.      70 mm.      70 mm.                                        Diameter                                                                       Disc     22 mm.      26 mm.      26 mm.                                        Diameter                                                                       Number of                                                                               18          16          20                                            Laterals                                                                       (average)                                                                      Typical Leaf                                                                            110 × 80 mm.                                                                         120 × 80 mm.                                                                         120 × 90 mm.                            Size                                                                           Foliage  Yellow-Green                                                                               Yellow-Green                                                                               Yellow-Green                                  Coloration                                                                              Group 147A  Group 147A  Group 147A                                    Response 71/2 weeks  8 weeks     8 weeks                                       Time                                                                           ______________________________________                                    

No clear distinctions with respect to petal shape and disease resistance have been observed to date with respect to the Daymark, Yellow Daymark and Cream Daymark cultivars. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named Yellow Daymark, substantially as herein shown and described, which:(a) exhibits attractive bright yellow ray and disc florets which can be distinguished from the white blossom coloration of the Daymark cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,240), (b) exhibits a more compact growth habit with less vegetative growth and assumes a lesser plant height than the Daymark cultivar under the same growing conditions, and (c) forms blossoms having a larger number of petals than the Daymark cultivar. 